On third try, Calais voters OK school budget

CALAIS, Maine — On their third try, voters in this Washington County town have given their final approval to the city’s 2013-2014 school budget.

The tally of local ballots cast Tuesday was 427 in favor and 286 opposed. The $8,612,735 budget includes $573,900 in local funds and is about $300,000 more than the proposed school budget that voters rejected in an August referendum. Residents had also voted down a budget proposal in July.

In a voluntary poll taken of voters Tuesday, which city officials hoped would provide some guidance if the proposed budget were rejected, 205 people indicated that the $8.6 million budget was too high and 158 thought it was too low. In response to another voluntary poll question, 289 voters indicated they would support an increase in taxes to fund the city, county and local schools and 390 indicated they would not support such a tax increase.

In other local elections, William Howard and Marcia Rogers won two available seats on the city council and Robert Greenlaw and Dale Earle won two available seats on the school committee.